Tyneham

Tyneham village in Dorset is picturesque, peaceful - and empty! During WW2, the nearby armed forces decided they needed more land to practice and this included the village and 7,500 acres. The villages had to leave their homes at very short notice. They pinned a note to the church door when they left:

Please treat the church and houses with care. We have given up our homes, where many of us have lived for generations, to help win the war to keep men free.
We will return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly.

They have never been allowed to return. In spite of campaigns and representations to the War Office, the village has never been released back to its former inhabitants. There are still some surviving residents today who wish to return. Many of the buildings have been damaged by shelling over the years, and the ground is littered with debris. But it is still possible to visit at certain times of the year.

We know all this because we went to a superb theatre production at Guildford Mill Studio today. The piece evolved through improvisation and workshops with the youth group, Open Stage, until the characters were developed, and then Matt Gavin wrote the play, giving all the credit to the actors. They are a super bunch of kids, talented, dedicated, enthusiastic. Much credit to them and the programme at the Yvonne Arnaud which gives them such a chance. We thoroughly enjoyed their performance and ingenuity.